


S-Class

by SilverFlameAlchemist



Series: Jukebox Drabbles [19]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Abandonment, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Falling In Love, Family, Family Feels, Fluff, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Magic-Users, Mentions of Emotional Abuse, Missions, Multi, Other, POV Second Person, Protectiveness, Reader-Insert, Rescue, Romance, Song-inspired, Songfic, Surprise! You're In Love!, Wizards, mentions of abuse, mentions of mental abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-20
Updated: 2017-03-20
Packaged: 2018-10-08 14:09:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10388430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverFlameAlchemist/pseuds/SilverFlameAlchemist
Summary: It would have been simple if there hadn't been magic involved.





	1. Baby, It's Cold Outside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Gray, this is getting bad." You mumbled, teeth chattering slightly as the wind picked up and the snow grew worse. "Maybe we should head back…?" You offered, hoping he would take the hint. Gray opened his mouth to protest, likely to remind you that he was immune to the cold, but then he caught sight of you, and he snapped his mouth shut. "Jeez, you and Lucy are so troublesome…" He grumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Come on, my apartment's near here. We can wait it out there." Wait. What.
> 
> Pairing: Gray Fullbuster/Reader

_I really can't stay_  
**Baby it's cold outside  
** _I've got to go away_  
**But baby it's cold outside  
** _This evening has been_  
**Been hoping that you'd drop in  
** _So very nice…  
_ **I'll hold your hands; they're just like ice...**

You yelped as the weather suddenly turned, the nice, cool spring day giving way to a sudden chill. "Whoa, what's this?!" You unconsciously shifted closer to your companion, staring up at the sky as you both kept walking.

"That's Magnolia for you." Gray commented dryly, sparing the sky a fleeting glance before he returned his attention to the flier in his hand. "Come on, if we don't keep moving, we'll be late for this job."

You both kept moving, as the snow continued to fall, and you spared your fellow guild member a sidelong glance. It wasn't odd for you to team up with other members in Fairy Tail for certain jobs, you didn't really have your own team, but jumped around from one to another whenever they needed your expertise on a mission.

Honestly, you'd been shocked when Gray came up to you that morning and asked you to go with him. Usually he and Erza or Natsu ran duet missions, but he'd never asked for your company before.

"Gray, this is getting bad." You mumbled, teeth chattering slightly as the wind picked up and the snow grew worse. "Maybe we should head back…?" You offered, hoping he would take the hint.

Gray opened his mouth to protest, likely to remind you that he was immune to the cold, but then he caught sight of you, and he snapped his mouth shut.

You gave him a half-hearted smile, arms wrapped tight around yourself as the wind blew right through you and your clothes.

"Jeez, you and Lucy are so troublesome…" He grumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Come on, my apartment's near here. We can wait it out there."

"Wait." You watched him with wide eyes as he turned down a side street. "What."

"What, you _want_ to trudge back to the guild in this?" He asked, eyebrows rising. "This way we'll be half way to our mission when it lets up." He spared you a rare, small smile, chuckling. "I thought you were freezing. No reason to make it any worse."

You felt heat rise in your cheeks as you followed him to his apartment, wishing on every Celestial Spirit you could name that Juvia _never_ found out about this.

 _My mother will start to worry_  
**Beautiful, what's your hurry?  
** _Father will be pacing the floor_  
**Listen to the fireplace roar  
** _So really I'd better scurry_  
**Beautiful, please don't hurry  
** _Maybe just a half a drink more._  
**Put some records on while I pour.  
** _The neighbors might think_  
**Baby, it's bad out there  
** _Say, what's in this drink?_  
**No cabs to be had out there  
** _I wish I knew how_  
**Your eyes are like starlight now  
** _To break this spell...  
_ **I'll take your hat, your hair looks swell...**

Gray's apartment was actually nothing like you'd been expecting. The furniture was sparse and the colors muted, but it was clean, organized, and laid out nicely.

"What're you looking at?" He asked, hanging his jacket by the door.

"It's just…" You gave his front room another looking over. "It's not like Natsu's."

Gray winced. "I guess that's a compliment…" He moved to the fireplace and started to get to work, somehow losing his shirt on the way over, and you looked away.

Not that you _minded_ the view, but it was rude to stare… Or something like that.

"Want something to drink?" He asked, finally getting the kindling to catch. "Tea?" He added a few small logs to the fire, getting a good blaze going.

"Yeah, thanks." You replied, casting the window a glance as the snow continued to fall. _Seriously, where did this come from?_ You wondered.

"Make yourself at home." He offered, standing and heading to the kitchen.

"Y-you sure we don't need to just go to that job?" You piped up, perching on the edge of the sofa, feeling like Juvia would pop out at any moment and demand to do one-on-one combat with her _Love's Rival_.

"Positive!" He called back. "No reason to make ourselves miserable. This storm won't last."

"But didn't you say we should hurry to it?" You asked, remembering his earlier comment.

"Jeez, would you calm down?" He came back, to steaming mugs of tea in his hands. "That was before there was a blizzard in the middle of spring. The job'll still be there— and I know the person who put in the request; they'll understand."

You let out a breath you hadn't realized you'd been holding, taking the tea from him gratefully. "I guess you're right." You managed, glancing again at the window.

"Relax." Gray leaned back in his seat beside you, taking a sip of tea. "It's not the end of the world."

 _It will be, if anyone finds out about this_. You thought, imagining how Natsu might react. He and Happy would probably start a rumor about you and the Ice-Make Wizard. And rumors were like wildfire when it came to the Fairy Tail guild.

"You alright?" Gray asked, another one of those sly smirks on his face.

"Yeah!" You jumped slightly at the question, already on edge from your own thoughts, let alone the shirtless Wizard next to you. "Just still kinda cold." You tried to play it off.

"Oh, well, c'mere." He grabbed your hand, dragging you to your feet and over to the fire. "Get closer to the blaze." He grabbed two of the pillows from the couch and dropped them onto the floor, sitting on one of them. When you made no movement to follow suit, he looked up at you expectantly. "You wanna freeze by yourself on the sofa?" He asked.

"No, sorry." You mumbled, sitting next to him, trying to keep your thoughts in order.

"Hey." He prompted, and your head snapped up.

"Y-Yeah?" You stammered.

"Huh…" He was staring, and it was making your cheeks _burn_. "I never noticed the color of your eyes before." He commented softly, tipping his head to one side. "It's kinda nice."

 _What the hell did he spike our drinks with?!_ You questioned silently, wondering if you should drink any more. Either this was a hallucination, or Gray Fullbuster had just called your eyes _kinda nice_ … Which was practically a declaration of love, considering who the Wizard in question was.

"Um. Thanks." You replied, managing to keep eye contact. "You have nice eyes too." _Why did I say that out loud?!_

He laughed, shrugging. "I guess they're alright, as far as eyes go." He took another sip of tea and you hurried to do the same.

If this was a hallucination, there was no way you were letting it go that easy.

 _I ought to say no, no, no, sir_  
**Mind if I move in closer?  
** _At least I'm gonna say that I tried_  
**What's the sense in hurting my pride?  
** _I really can't stay_  
**Baby don't hold out.  
** _Ah, but it's cold outside._  
I've got to get home  
**Oh, baby, you'll freeze out there  
** _Say, lend me your coat_  
**It's up to your knees out there  
** _You've really been grand_  
**Thrill when you touch my hand  
** _Why don't you see...  
_ **How can you do this thing to me...?**

You could feel yourself getting sleepy, whatever tea he had served you playing a cruel trick on you by getting into cahoots with the fire and making you drowsy.

"You okay over there?" He asked, chuckling when you felt your eyes start to flutter shut for the fifth time.

"Y-yeah, it's just… We should be heading out." You mumbled, trying to get away from how warm his chest looked right now, and how bright the fire made his eyes.

"It's still snowing." He pointed out. "I think it's actually gotten worse… Jeez, what's with the weather in this place?"

"Just lend me one of your coats." You suggested, trying to get enough energy together to get up from the pillow and away from the allure of Gray's seemingly-warm chest and fire-bright eyes. "Then we can go take care of that job and be done for the day."

"The mission involves working outdoors." Gray pointed out. "And I don't have any coats that'll fit you."

"It's fine it it's too big!" You protested, setting your mug on the hearth, trying to get up. "Too big is fine."

"Too big isn't as warm." Gray argued. "Why are you in such a rush, anyway, it's not like they're paying us buckets of money to complete it, anyway."

"I just…" You stopped, realizing you'd been about to blab the whole thing to him. "I just don't want to make the others worry." You managed instead.

"It's a _blizzard_ out there. I'm not letting you leave until it lets up. The others will understand." He snorted. "It's not like Natsu's never done this at Lucy's place before."

He had a point, and you knew it. But you could feel heat flooding your cheeks, and it wasn't from your proximity to the fire. You tried to get up, and nearly fell over, only managing to not face plant by Gray reaching out to grab you.

You yelped, lost your balance, and toppled right into his chest.

_So warm…_

"Sorry!" You squeaked, pushing yourself up, but he caught your shoulders, shrugging, not quite looking you in the eye.

"I don't really mind." He spoke softly. "We could just blow the job off, if you want… No reason anyone needs to know we didn't finish it today."

You felt a grin tug at the corners of your mouth, relaxing against him. "Well… It _is_ cold outside…"

 _There's bound to be talk tomorrow_  
**Think of my life long sorrow  
** _At least there will be plenty implied_  
**If you caught pneumonia and died  
** _I really can't stay_  
_**Get over that hold out...**  
_ _Ah, but it's cold outside..._

_"Baby, It's Cold Outside" by Frank Loesser_

* * *

_**BONUS!** _

Lyon chuckled to himself, looking down at the white streets of Magnolia, today's handiwork.

"Are you sure this was a good idea, Mr. Lyon?" Eve asked from beside him. "Seems a little underhanded…"

"It'll be worth it." Lyon replied with a smirk. "They deserve to be happy…"

"But this? Seems a little extreme." Eve argued, feeling like he'd somehow cheated.

"They just needed a nudge." Lyon shrugged. "We gave them one. Nothing wrong with that, is there?"

Eve laughed, adding a little more snow outside Gray's window, just in case the other Ice-Make Wizard decided to check on the state of the weather again. "I just hope no one notices it only really snowed over here…"


	2. Beautiful With You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I guess that's why I'm nervous about thinking of Fairy Tail as my family..." You mumbled into his shoulder. "I don't want them to abandon me."  
> Natsu chuckled, and you felt it rumble into your chest. "Nah, there's no chance- We won't ever abandon you like that. Fairy Tail is for life!"
> 
> Natsu Dragneel/Reader

_I stare at the girl in the mirror_   
_T-shirt, torn up jeans, no beauty queen_   
_But the way that you see me_   
_You get underneath me_   
_And all my defenses just fall away_   
_Fall away..._

"Get out."

You caught the bag that was tossed at your head, tears making it hard to see. Another case was thrown at you, and you only just managed to catch it, dropping the first bag on your foot to do so. You kept in a wince of pain, baring the pain silently.

"Please..."

"No. I'm done with you." Hard eyes narrowed, and a sneer was directed your way. "You're no child of mine."

The door slammed and you sucked in a breath, not wanting to give them the spectacle they were probably waiting for. You collected your things, and moved down the street with your head held high. You didn't need them- they didn't have magic... They didn't understand you.

You wandered through Magnolia without really thinking about where you were going. Everything was a blur- faceless people hurrying past you, featureless surroundings bleeding into nondescript countryside. You stopped by the edge of the river, the setting sun turning the gleaming surface gold.

You thought about jumping in- giving up. It was the easiest plan- no muss, really, no fuss. No one would miss you. You sat and took off your shoes, dipping your feet into the cold water.

You caught sight of yourself in the calm surface of the water and started to cry again. You were a mess, splotchy face and red eyes- hair in a tangle from where you'd been wrenched from the bed that morning. Your clothes were equally messy, the sort you didn't usually wear out in public.

"Hey, whatcha doing out here on your own?" A voice jarred you out of your thoughts, and you looked up, squeaking. "Whatcha cryin' for?"

You looked up to see a young boy with pink hair, wide eyes full of concern and curiosity. "I-I've got nowhere else to cry." You mumbled, wiping your eyes on your sleeve.

"What? No home?" He sat next to you, arms and legs crossed.

You shook your head and he clicked his tongue.

"Well, come home with me, then." He offered, grinning. "You can meet my family! They're all really awesome... I'm sure they would help you out, if you needed it."

You stared at him, tearing up again. "Y-you really think so?" You asked.

"Yeah!" He laughed, standing, and offered you his hand. "I've got the best family ever!"

_I stand naked before you now_   
_No walls to hide behind_   
_So here am I, you see all of my scars_   
_Still here you are_   
_I bare my soul and I'm not afraid_   
_Not afraid..._

"Why'd you have to go and do something stupid like that, huh?" Natsu asked, frowning. "You could have asked one of us to go with you..."

"I didn't want to make a big deal about it." You grumbled, following him along the street to he guild hall. You were limping badly, wincing with every move.

"You're part of the family!" Natsu shot back. "Nothing is too big of a deal for us! We meet a wall- we smash it down; that's how Fairy Tail works!"

You laughed softly, careful of your bruised ribs. Who knew Vulcans could be so vicious, anyway...

"You have trouble with families, don't you?" Natsu asked softly. "I mean- you've been a guild member for a couple years, and I've never heard you call us your family... You don't feel left out, do ya?"

"No, no, it's not that!" You hurried to assure him. "It's just... My family abandoned me. That day you found me by the river, it was because they had thrown me out."

Natsu stared at you, freezing mid-step. "They did what?"

"I could use magic,and they couldn't... I guess they thought I was some sort of freak, I guess..." You gave a small shrug, not wanting to dislodge any more joints than you already had on your mission.

"But your magic is beautiful!" He gaped.

"My step-father didn't like having a wizard in the family." You mumbled.

"That's no excuse!" Natsu huffed. "You don't just kick a kid out because they do something you don't like!" He growled, letting go of you. "Now get on my back. I'll carry you back to the hall."

You felt your cheeks flare red. "No, I mean, I can make it."

"Shut-up." He grumbled, looking away. "Just get on, okay?"

You did so gingerly, careful not to jostle your injuries too severely. "I guess that's why I'm nervous about thinking of Fairy Tail as my family..." You mumbled into his shoulder. "I don't want them to abandon me."

Natsu chuckled, and you felt it rumble into your chest. "Nah, there's no chance- We won't ever abandon you like that. Fairy Tail is for life!"

You laughed, holding onto him a little more tightly. "For life, huh?"

_I am beautiful with you_   
_Even in the darkest part of me_   
_I am beautiful with you_   
_Make it feel the way it's supposed to be_   
_You're here with me_   
_Just show me this and I'll believe_   
_I am beautiful with you..._

You heard another cheer go up from inside, the party already going strong. You'd learned not to ask why there were so many festivals and parties that took place with Fairy Tail as the center- you just assumed they liked to have a good time. And who were you to stop them from breaking loose now and then?

Something crashed loudly, and you heard Cana let out a distraught cry, nearly doubling over when you realized why. The brawl would start soon, and you were thankfully already outside. You moved further from the doors, just in case someone came tumbling through them, and leaned against the balcony.

Fireworks were going off over the town, and you watched them, remembering when you had first come to he guild, and the curious young boy who had brought you into his family. He wasn't a little boy anymore, that was for sure. You wondered if Natsu had noticed that you had grown up too; in more than one sense of the word.

A loud yowl preceded a body flying through the window, depositing a disheveled Natsu onto the balcony beside you. You yelped, jumping out of the way, and he growled as he picked himself up.

"Oh, that was low, Gray!" He shouted back into the fray. "I'll get you for that!"

You chuckled, watching him dust himself off, and he turned to you, only now seeing you standing beside him.

"Why aren't you in there where they party's at?" He asked, forgetting bout his threat to the Ice-Make wizard, turning to lean against the balcony with you.

"Not really my sort of party." You shrugged, feeling heat creep up the back of your neck as his eyes caught the light from the fireworks. "I like it out here more."

He grinned, looking out over the city. "Yeah, I guess it is really nice, isn't it? Never really seen it like this- all still. Makes a nice change."

You distracted yourself by watching the skyline, the stars obscured by the bursting multicolored sparks.

"I know I mentioned it once, bout your magic being beautiful, but I meant to go further... You're beautiful." He dipped his head. "I mean, like, your insides. Ya know? The bits no one can see?"

"You mean my intestines?" You asked, hoping to lighten the mood.

He laughed, shaking his head. "Aw, come on! I was being serious! You know how rare that is!" He nudged you with his elbow, gently. "I really mean that- your, what do you call it, spirit? Yeah. That's beautiful."

"What brought all this on?" You asked, not looking at him.

"I think your outsides are kinda pretty too." He admitted, grinning at you. "Plus you smell nice- I mean, you know, cause I can smell really well and you-"

You cut him off with a quick kiss, feeling his face burn as you pulled away, looking back out into the city. "You're, ah, not so bad yourself." You managed, grinning.

He cleared his throat, glancing back at the hole he had put through the window. "Still don't think it's your kind of party?" He asked.

You glanced at him, shaking your head.

He chuckled, casually shifting to lean his shoulder against yours. "That's lucky, then... I don't think it's really my kind of party either."

_I've been the strong one for so long_   
_But, I was wrong_   
_Doesn't make you weak cause you needed someone_   
_I'm not holding back and I know what I want_   
_You want me for myself_   
_Look at me like no one else_   
_I am beautiful with you..._

_"Beautiful With You" by Halestorm_


	3. Man in the Long Black Coat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You didn't care how impulsive it was, or how long it might take you to make him see reason, or even how long you would have to follow him to get where you wanted to go, but you were determined. You would become a member of Fairy Tail if it was the last thing you did. And as for the man in the long black coat, he was just your ticket to get you there.
> 
> Gildarts Clive/Reader

_Crickets are chirpin' the water is high_   
_There's a soft cotton dress on the line hangin' dry_   
_Window wide open African trees_   
_Bent over backwards from a hurricane breeze_   
_Not a word of goodbye, not even a note_   
_She gone with the man in the long black coat..._

He'd swept through town like a hurricane one night, every step he took like a rumble of thunder as he passed through your dreary little village, mind set on the task at hand.

You remembered waking in the middle of the night, jolted awake by the shuddering of your house, followed by the sound like a landslide, a scream tearing through the night.

You'd rushed downstairs at once, pulling your clothes on as you hurried to the door, trying to see what was going on. The whole street was in uproar, everyone clambering for a look at who was walking through town, wreaking havoc as he went.

The monster he was hunting had been plaguing your town since the summer, and with the sudden change in weather, it had gone back to the mountains to sleep through the winter. Evidently, he had awoke it, and it had not been pleased.

You watched from your living room as he fought, his magic lighting up the dark street in flashes, storefronts crumbling from the force, the beast already limping badly from where he had clipped one of its legs. Finally, it charged him, and you saw him smirk as he held up a hand, ready to dispatch it once and for all.

It was rent into a million little pieces, all dispersing as he lowered his hand and caught his breath. People started pouring out of their homes, all either shouting at him to get lost, or cheering him on. You stayed in your house, watching, until you saw one of the villagers grab his arm and lift it up over his head. From here, even in the dim light, you could see the guild mark that rested on his chest, the insignia unmistakable.

You rushed back upstairs and hurriedly packed your things, not even taking time to leave a note explaining where you were going before you hurried out of the house and rushed after the red-headed wizard.

You didn't care how impulsive it was, or how long it might take you to make him see reason, or even how long you would have to follow him to get where you wanted to go, but you were determined. You would become a member of Fairy Tail if it was the last thing you did.

And as for the man in the long black coat, he was just your ticket to get you there.

_Somebody seen him hangin' around_   
_At the old dance hall on the outskirts of town_   
_He looked into her eyes when she stopped him to ask_   
_If he wanted to dance; he had a face like a mask_   
_Somebody said from the bible he'd quote_   
_There was dust on the man in the long black coat..._

It took you a week to catch up with him again, and by that time you'd almost given up hope of finding him. You kept an ear to the ground, tried to keep your eyes peeled for red hair and a wide grin, but he was more elusive than someone his size had any right to be.

You still didn't know what you were going to say to him, how you were going to get him to agree to your hair-brained scheme, but you had hope. You were talented, you knew that much, but you needed training; training only a guild like Fairy Tail could give you.

The only advantage you had at this point was your anonymity; he had no idea who you were, and you only knew that he was from Fairy Tail. You hadn't asked anyone from your town who had hired him or what his name was; you'd been in too much of a hurry to catch him before he vanished into the night.

You could see him tapping his foot to the music that filled the hall, and decided to act on another impulse, standing from your seat and crossing over to him.

He looked at you, expression carefully blank, and you broke out your brightest smile in order to ask him to dance.

He broke into an equally bright smile, looking you in the eye, and accepted.

He was a good dancer, better than you by a long-shot, and you had to pay attention to keep up. You kept the chatter between you carefully at surface level, only asking about his guild mark when he'd had a few more drinks, and had a flush high on his cheeks.

He took the opportunity to brag; not just about his own abilities, but also his guild's, and you drank up every word. You kept his drinks coming, and he kept giving you information.

By the sixth drink, he had gotten personable, putting his arm around your shoulder and whispering into your ear, teasing you about your hair and eyes in a playful manner; commenting on your lack of a guild mark, and asking if it were, perhaps, just hiding out of sight.

You finally admitted that you'd heard of Fairy Tail before and wanted to join, and he laughed in your face.

You slapped him, ready to leave right then, but he grabbed your hand and pulled you back down into your seat.

He was excited, he explained, not mocking. He offered you sly smiles and kept his hand on yours, winking and holding on tighter when you tried to pull away.

If you wanted to join Fairy Tail, he explained, you would need him.

_Preacher was talking, there's a sermon he gave_   
_He said every man's conscience is vile and depraved_   
_You cannot depend on it to be your guide_   
_When it's you who must keep it satisfied_   
_It ain't easy to swallow it sticks in the throat_   
_She gave her heart to the man in the long black coat..._

Gildarts, after introducing himself and paying his tab, had thrown you over his shoulder like a sack of flour, and hauled you out into the night. And you had let him. You'd struggled, thrown a fit, kicked and screamed, but eventually your throat was raw and your muscles ached.

At that point he laughed and told you not to worry; he'd take care of you.

You didn't want him to take care of you, you wanted him to put you down, you wanted to slap him across the face and run home again, but you knew you couldn't. You had everything riding on getting into the guild of your dreams, and one rude man was not going to stand in the way of that, no matter how much your pride had been damaged.

So you let him keep carrying you, eventually being deposited onto a cave floor as he told you to stay put and behave. You felt more like a kidnap victim than a new recruit for a guild, but you did as you were told, sitting in the cold cave and shivering until he returned with wood for a fire.

You asked about his orders, and he said that he just liked telling people what to do.

You threw one of your shoes at him, and he threw his coat over you, telling you to shut up and sleep.

You woke up again, part-way into the night, with a weight over your chest that hadn't been there before. You found, after blinking the sleep from your eyes, that it was Gildarts' arm, and that the wizard himself was lying beside you, shielding you from the cold of the cave entrance with his larger frame.

You tried to lift the coat enough to put over him as well, but his arm refused to move. You jostled him awake, and received a grumble in response. When you tried to get him to move, his answer was a kiss, forceful and a little sloppy, and a command to shut up and go to sleep.

You did shut up.

You did not go to sleep.

Instead, you laid there and watched the firelight play over his face, a flush on your own, and wondered exactly what you should do about the situation in which you now found yourself.

He cracked an eye open and looked at you, a grin soon spilling over his face. He asked what the matter was, and you decided that honesty was the best policy, telling him plainly that he was the matter.

He laughed and tightened his grip on you, whispering into your ear that that was as it should be, and you really should just shut up and go to sleep. You didn't have to worry; he would look out for you.

_There are no mistakes in life some people say_   
_And it's true sometimes, you can see it that way_   
_But people don't live or die people just float_   
_She went with the man in the long black coat..._

_"Man in the Long Black Coat" by Bob Dylan_

**Author's Note:**

> Fairy Tail and All Related Characters belong to: Hiro Mashima


End file.
